La Liga's Next 2 Matchdays to Be Played Behind Closed Doors Due to Coronavirus

La Liga's next two matchdays will be played without fans amid the outbreak of the coronavirus.

Football journalist Dermot Corrigan relayed the news on Tuesday:

It follows the news that Barcelona's UEFA Champions League clash with Napoli on March 18 will be played behind closed doors at the Camp Nou. 

Per AS' Alfredo Matilla, the ruling could be extended.

Confirmed cases of COVID-19—the disease's official name—more than doubled from Sunday to Monday in Spain, rising from 589 to 1,204. The death toll also jumped by 20 from eight.

As a result of the increase, schools and universities in the Spanish capital, Madrid, will be closed from Wednesday in a bid to curb the spread of the virus.

Spain is the fourth-worst affected country in Europe after Italy, France and Germany, and seventh in the world after China, South Korea and Iran are also taken into account.

Italy, which is behind only China in the number of confirmed cases, placed itself under a countrywide lockdown on Monday.

Sporting events are suspended as part of the ban, so Serie A matches—some of which had been played behind closed doors over the previous two weekends—have been halted.

In La Liga, Barcelona moved two points ahead of Real Madrid over the weekend with a 1-0 win over Real Sociedad, while Los Blancos lost 2-1 at Real Betis.